"It is long-term plans, executed well, that produce the best short-term results — quarter after quarter after quarter."
— Charles H. Green
If only it were this easy. Huffington Post columnist and author Charles H. Green has created an open letter from Main Street CEOs to Wall Street CEOs that challenges leaders and lays out a new strategy moving forward to establish trust in business and the markets: “From here on out, [we] propose to tell the truth. … It’s that simple.”
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While a major ad campaign by the coal industry is trying to sway public opinion about “clean coal,” let's be clear: There is no such thing as clean coal, says HOW contributor Thomas M. Kostigen. It's time coal companies realize that their time has come and gone. If ever there was a time to embrace truly clean energy, it's now.
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Successful organizations have one thing in common: a clarity of purpose from which everything flows. Ad man and author Roy Spence believes in this so thoroughly that he has built his career on it, and it has become the guiding philosophy of his life and his new book. In Part 1 of a two-part series, Spence talks with HOW Online about how companies and leaders can indentify purpose, whether purpose replaces the mission statement, and how to bring this energizing statement to life for greater success.
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Ad man and author Roy Spence believes in an organization’s “power of purpose” so thoroughly that it has become the guiding philosophy of his life, career and his new book. In Part 2 of a two-part series, Spence talks with HOW Online about how leaders can inspire employees to fulfill the purpose of an organization, whether purpose-driven companies are more sustainable, innovative and customer-centric, and how profit is a byproduct of making a difference.
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In communities where fathers build ships for their sons, quality is never a problem. Proximity is a good enough insurance policy against real quality problems. That’s why understanding how your products affect society, and getting closer to end-users, are paramount to avoiding problems, says HOW Online contributor Mats Lederhausen.
More »"I want to run an idea by you that I think is important. ... I'd like to do what we can to protect the lower-wage earners."
—Paul Levy,
Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center
In these tough times, when no business is recession-proof, many leaders may be forced to bring employees together in a conference room to discuss layoffs and other potential downsizing strategies. Let's hope that when they do, they have the recent actions of hospital CEO Paul Levy in mind.
More »"Companies often forget there are two audiences during layoffs: those laid off and those still on staff."
Companies that make missteps when downsizing destroy morale and tarnish their public image. With many U.S. employers expecting to make cuts, how can managers deal with layoffs in a manner that is compassionate and ethical? HOW Online spoke to employees, managers and HR experts for ground rules on the hows of downsizing.
More »"Darkness produces profit; when both sides of a trade know what the other holds, transparently, there go margins."
We'll never stomp out lying or cheating. The term "loophole" wouldn't even exist if we moved from a rules-based accounting system to an intent-based system, like other countries. That's why throwing a trillion dollars at a system that is broken won't fix our problems, says HOW Online contributor Thomas M. Kostigen. What we need is a new operating system, not version 3.0.
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While the Satyam scandal may look a lot like Enron, more scrutiny suggests that Satyam’s plight signifies something deeper. The fraud frames the fundamental choice for companies competing in emerging economies: Do we repeat the costly mistakes U.S. and European companies have made or do we embrace the new dynamics of 21st-century business?
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The tone at the World Economic Forum in Davos is decidedly somber and focused on social issues this year. The downturn has generated enormous debate over no less a question than the future of capitalism, with values and ethics taking center stage. But who will provide the leadership and initiative behind the "values" that will be needed to remedy the global financial crisis?
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